Can-opening arrangement



April 19, 1966 c. T. ASBLJRY 3,246,791

CAN-OPENING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-5 Fl G5 FIG. I 5 INVENTOR.

CHARLES T. ASBU RY ATTORN EYS April 19, 1966 c. T. ASBURY 3,246,791

CAN-OPENING ARRANGEMENT Filed Aug. 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F l G IINVENTOR.

FlG-| 0 CHARLES T. ASBURY ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,246,791CAN-OPENIN G ARRANGEMENT Charles T. Ashury, 717 Isle of Palms,

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed Aug. 12, 1963, $91. No. 301,566 1 (Zl'aim.((1220-27) This invention relates to containers and the like and isparticularly concerned with containers havingtear-open or snap-openclosure means.

Tear-open and snap-open cans andthe like are standard items ofcommerceandin connection'with most of these containers, beverage cansfor example, the container lid" is provided with a scored region thatcan be snapped outto provide a pouring opening or so that the entire lidcan be torn out to expose the container contents. major difiiculty thathas been encountered in connection with the manufacture of'suchsnap-open or tear-open lids is the connectionof-a teari'ngkey to the lidmaterial.

Welding is objectionable andcold welding has proved to be defective,andthe manner in which the keys are presently connected'tothe lids is toform ablister on the lid forming a rivet integral therewith and to-placethe key over the rivet and flatten out the rivet: This manner ofsecuring a key to the lidis time consuming and expensive and representsalmost a-rnajor operation in the manufacture of such lids.

I have discovered by test and' experimentation, that' lids for beveragecans be constructed and arranged so that the tab that is normally tornout to open the container can be pushed in, thereby eliminatingthenecessity of putting a tearing key on the lid, thereby, in turn,

eliminating the necessity for forming the aforementioned blister in thelid that rivets the key thereto.

I have found that containers can -be readily and quickly opened bypushing the scored region inwardly and that this idea can'even' beemployed for tearing out'complete lids when the lid is properly scored.

Having the foregoing in mind; it is an object of this invention toprovide an easy-opening container in which riveted on keys and thelikeare eliminated.

Still another objectof. this invention is the provision of a. containerhaving a scored lid in'which the lid can' be opened by pressing aportion thereof inwardly;

Still another object of this invention is the provision" of a containerhaving'a scored lid which can be substantially completely tornoutbyipushing ina portion of the lid and employing this portion as a keyto tear .the licliout;

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a beveragecan having a lid with a weakened zone therein that can be pushed intothe can to provide a pouring or drinking opening for the can, and whichweakenedzone is protected against accidental displacement because ofhandling of the can.

These and other objects and. advantages of this inventionewill becomemore apparent upon reference to the following specification taken inconnection with the accompanylngwdrawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1. is. a. perspective view showing a can lid formed according tomy invention;

FIGURE 2 isva view. similar to FIGURE 1 showing a'modified arrangement;

FIGURE 3 shows a still further modified arrangement;

FIGURE 4' is a section on line 44 of FIGURE 3 showing the tab pushedinwardly;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the portion ofthe lid to be pushed in could be reinforced on the outside of the lid;

FIGURE 6 shows a modification where the portion 3,246,791 Patented Apr.19; 1966 of the lid to be pushed inwardly is so constructed that thetearing out of the portion can be readily started;

FIGURE 7 is a view showinga modification in which substantially theentire lid is arranged to be tornout;

FIGURE 8 shows a modified arrangement, including a protective device forpreventing accidental opening of' the canlid;

FIGURE 9 is a section on line 99 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a view like FIGURE 8, but shows the can withouta-safety'device;

1 FIGURE 11 is a section online 11"11 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 121's a perspective viewshowing amodified type openingarrangement according to my invention;

FIGURE 13, is a sectional view indicated by line 131' 3 on-FIGURE l2,and

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view similar to-FIGURE 8" but showing asomewhat different arrangement;

Referring to the drawings-somewhat more in detail; in FIGURE 1 there isshown a can having body'ltl' and lid'll'securedthereto according toconventional practices such as by rolling the periphery of the lid andthe upper lid-of the can body into sealed relationship;

Lid 12 has a region thereon defined by a score line 14L This score linepreferably does not definea closed path and may be in either the top orthe bottom of the lid andis of such depththat while the-lid will holdpressure on the-contents therein, if necessary, the lid can easily betorn along score line 14; The lid, of course, isusually ofmetal as-isthe can body as well.

According to the presentinvention, the regionwithin the score line 14'-and which may he referred to as a tab, is adapted for being pushedinwardly into the can asindicated bythe dot-dash outline-16, thereby toprovidea drinking or pouring opening for the can. This is. accomplishedby applying pressure to the tab as by the thumb orwith any, suitableinstrument. The applying ofrpressure to-tab identified at l fi 'intheproper region isrfacilitated by forming a raised portion 20 on the tabin the-region of the partthereof where'the tearing of the tab from thelid is to commence.

In FIGURE"2, the tab, identified at 22 is stiffened'by providing astitfeningmember 24 secured thereto, which may be on the underside ofthe lid and which member maybe in the form of a relatively thin piece ofsheet metalform'ed'to an angle or a channeli This stiffening member canbe secured to the. lid'by adhesive or by a metallic fusion process.

In FIGURE 3 I'show a tab 26 of somewhat different.

configuration and't-histab' has araised portion 28 thereon: extendingsubstantially at full length thereof. This raised. portion extendsupwardly a substantial amount fromthe tab, although not projectingbeyond the upper edge of the: completed'can, and isusefulfor permittingthe tab 26 to be pushed far down into the can. By applying pressureto'the left part of the raised portion 28,.tl1'extearing outvof portion26'can be commenced and by shifting thepressure along the raisedpart'toward the.

unscoredendof: tab 26; the tearing out of the tab can be, caused? toproject: and 7 the tab will extend down into the can' as indicated inFIGURE 4:

In FIGURE SIshow. how atab 30 can'be reinforced by reinforcing member 32secured to the topthereof, this reinforcing. member taking theform ofthin'sheet metal or the like whichcan becorrugated tostiffen thereinforcing member and also to provide. a region for applying pressureto the tab. 'It will be understood that when the reinforcing member ison the top of the tab as in FIGURE 5, it could be a plastic material orthe like and highly satisfactory results would be had.

In FIGURE 6 I show a tab 33 which is so spaced that the end thereofwhere tearing will be commenced,

indicated at 35, is of such reduced size that a great deal of pressureis not required for initiating the tearing. The

tab has a raised portion 37 therein which stifiens the tab and whichfacilitates the application of pressure to the tab at the right place.

In FIGURE 7 there is shown a can in which the lid 40 has a first scoremark 42 around the outer periphery and a second score mark 44 spacedinwardly therefrom. The two score marks define a region 46 that can betorn out from the can lid so that the entire lid is removed from the canand the contents completely exposed.

At one point about the periphery of the can, the score marks 42 and 44are joined by an arcuate score mark 48 which defines a tab 50 ofsubstantial size and which tab 50 may have stifiening means associatedtherewith which could take the form of the raised portion 52 that wouldalso serve as a region for applying pressure to the tab. In thearrangement of FIGURE 7, the tab 50 is pushed inwardly by applyingpressure thereto and the tab is of suflicient size that the end of thestrip 46 can be grasped between the thumb and finger and the entire lidtorn out from the can.

FIGURES 8 and 9 show an arrangement in which the tab 60 defined by scoreline 62 is provided with the raised portion 64 extending oversubstantially the entire area of the tab region. The projection 64tapers upwardly from the innerside of the tab toward the outside of thecan and is highest where the tab will commence to tear. This raisedportion is relatively large and pressure can easily be applied theretoeither by the thumb or with a suitable instrument.

To prevent accidental tearing out of the tab, which might occur in thehandling of thecan, there is provided adjacent the tab a raised portion66 in lid 68 which extends upwardly to a level slightly higher to thatof raised portion 64, but not above the upper rim of the can. This willbe seen in FIGURE 9 and it will be evident that raised portion 66 is asafety feature that prevents the tab from being accidentally knockedinwardly. At the same time, it will be understood that the tab 60 couldbe knocked inwardly deliberately by striking it with another can or asmall instrument.

FIGURES and 1-1 show an arrangement similar to that of FIGURES 8 and 9except no safety device is shown. Instead, the tab 70 in FIGURES 10 and11 as defined by score line 72 is so arranged that the tearing thereofcommences close by the rim 74 of the can so that the rim itself providesthe safety device for preventing accidental opening of the can.

The tab in FIGURES 10 and 11 includes the raised portion 76 whichstitfens the tab and provides the region for the application of pressurethereto.

FIGURES 12 and 13 show a modified arrangement wherein lid 80 is providedwith two tabs 82 and 84 defined by the score lines 86 and 88,respectively, whereby both tabs can be pushed in to provide,respectively, a pouring opening and an air inlet opening.

The tabs of the FIGURES 12 and 13 arrangements are further characterizedin that a safety rib 88 was provided upstanding about the outer portionof each tab. The upstanding rib 88 may be combined with a recess portion90 in the central part of the tab and this combination will form a sortof pocket in which the thumb can be placed whereby there will be littleif any chance that the thumb will slip ofif the tab or be cut or scrapedby the edge of the lid surrounding the tab after the tab has been pushedinwardly.

FIGURE 14 shows an arrangement wherein the lid has a portion 102 formedupwardly therein similar to the portion 64 of lid 68 in FIGURE 8. Thisportion extends upwardly to a height less than that of rim 104 toprotect the portion against accidental opening during handling of thecan. Adjacent portion 102 is another raised portion 106 which serves asa thumb guard and a safety projection, and this portion extends upwardlysubstantially to the upper level of rim 104.

I have found that by forming the projections 102 and 106 as shown, thelid is weakened in the region at 108 similarly to what would occur ifthe lid were scored as shown at 62 in FIGURE 8 and that the lid can beopened by applying pressure on projection 102 even though the lid has nospecific score marks thereon.

All of the foregoing modifications are characterized in that no rivetingof a tearing key is required and no welding is required, except foradded metallic stiffening elements which might be utilized on theunderneath side of the lid and all of the arrangements shown can beopened manually without any instruments or other devices.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to ditferent usages and conditions; andaccordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A pressure container comprising; a sheet metal body and a sheet metallid sealed thereto, a tab portion in the lid adapted to have pressureapplied thereto from outside the container so the tab portion is pressedinwardly of the container, said tab portion being elongated, a scoremark in the lid extending along the long sides of said portion andacross one end thereof and forming a tearable weakened region in the lidwhich will rupture upon the application of pressure to said portion, theunscored part of the periphery of said tab portion at the other endthereof forming a hinge region about which the tab portion turns when itis pressed inwardly of the container, said tab portion having anupwardly formed region therein near. said one end thereof and a recesstherein adjacent said region, said region and recess combining to form aconfiguration for receiving the thumb or other implement for applyingpressure to the tab portion to push it into the container and whichconfiguration will prevent the thumb or other implement from slippingoff said tab portion during the application of pressure thereto, saidscore mark extending part way only through said lid and leavingsufiicient thickness of said lid at said score mark to prevent pressurein the container from causing rupture of the lid at the score mark.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,471 6/1898Morfoot 220-54 985,634 2/ 1911 Rodgers 22254l 1,715,169 5/1929 McKee2297 1,743,283 1/ 1930 Porges 222-541 1,805,003 5/1931 Newman 220272,185,180 1/1940 Brennan 22054 2,738,090 3/ 1956 Davis 229--7 2,787,3944/1957 Baumann 22027 2,899,100 8/ 1959 Wolkenberg 22048 2,946,478 7/1960 Clair 22054 3,076,584 2/ 1963 Sherlock 222541 3,143,256 8/1964Lazure 222-541 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

